Case stacker



K. P. YOUNG Jan. 5, 1960 CASE STACKER v Filed Aug. e. 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 1 /f/g. i.

K. P. YOUNG CASE `S'IACKER Jan. 5, 1960 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 61956 INVENToR Ken/7 ,D Voy/7? Arrow/EK K. P. YOUNG CASE STACKER Jan. 5,1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 6. 1956 United States Patent CASESTACKER Application August 6, 1956, Serial No. 602,217

Claims. (Cl. 214-6) This invention relates to automatic equipment forarranging individual articles into stacks and conveying the stacks soformed to a point of storage, shipment or other use, and moreparticularly relates to a stacker for cases such as conventionalopen-top box-like receptacles normally employed for containing bottles,cans and the like, and having hand receiving openings in the endsthereof which are advantageously used in the stacker about to bedescribed.v

It is the most important object of the instant invention to provide acase stacker used in combination with a conveyor and operable to receivethe cases in continuous succession from the conveyor, elevate the sameinto stacks and thereupon transfer the stacks to the same conveyor forremoving the same from the stacker.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of acase stacker that requires no manual operation or operator attentionfrom the time the cases are placed upon the aforementioned `conveyoruntil the stacks are removed therefrom.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stacker thatincludes an elevator associated with the conveyor thereabove andprovided with an ascending flight having flight elements thereon thatautomatically move into engagement with the cases while the same aresupported by the conveyor and as the latter feed the cases successivelyto a position between a pair of spaced endless members forming a part ofthe elevator.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a casestacker employing novel hook-like elements that engage the cases withinthe handle openings thereof, and which elements are swingable in twodirections whereby the same may be moved into position receiving thecases, maintain the latter in proper upright position and deposit thecases in a stack by virtue of free swinging of the elements out of thehandle openings when the cases come to rest in a stack upon a supportforming a part of the stacker.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a case stackerwherein the aforementioned support is itself movable to a positionlowering the stack onto the conveyor through automatic control meansthat comes into operation when the stack contains a predetermined numberof cases.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a casestacker having a safety factor rendering the entire elevator componentinoperable in the event the stack fails to be carried away from theelevator by the conveyor.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a case stacker made pursuant tomy present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, perspective viewillustrating one of the flight elements and the manner of mounting thesame on one of the endless elevator members.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed elevational view simice ilar to Fig. 1showing the manner of operation of the stack support, parts being brokenaway and in section for clearness.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view similar to Fig. 1 illustratingdiagrammatically the electrical components of the control for the stacksupport; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the electrical components ofthe safety feature of the stacker.

The primary components of the stacker for cases 10 about to be describedinclude a conveyor broadly designated by the numeral 12, an elevator 14,suitable supporting framework 16 for the elevator 14, a support 18 forstack of cases 10, control means 22 (Fig. 5) for support 18 andautomatic deenergizing assembly 24 (Fig. 6) for prime mover 26 in thenature of an electric motor for operating the elevator 14.

The conveyor 12 may consist of a pair of endless chains or the like 28,having a lowermost and an uppermost horizontal stretch, the latter ofwhich is shown in part in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and broadly designated by thenumeral 30.

The frame 16 includes a plurality of interconnected, elongated standards32 embracing the conveyor 12.

Elevator 14 consists of a pair of spaced, endless members such as chains34 and 36 trained over uppermost sprocket wheels 3S and lowermostsprocket wheels 40. The two lowermost sprocket wheels 40 are secured toa common driven shaft 42 horizontally disposed and rotatably supportedby the standards 32. The prime mover 26 is operably coupled with theshaft 42 through a speed reducer 44.

The uppermost sprocket wheels 38 are secured to stub shafts 46, thebearings whereof are shiftable vertically by virtue of suitable take-upmeans 48 for varying the tension of the chains 34 and 36. l

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration, the elevator14 is provided with five pairs of flight elements 50 mounted on thechains 34 and 36 in the manner best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings.Elements 50 are substantially J-shaped and provided with hooks 52 at thelowermost ends thereof. Elements 50 are swingably mounted on the chains34 and 36 through use of one of the pins 54 that interconnect the linksof the chains 34 and 36 and which pin 54 is extended for such purpose. Acollar 56 journaled on the pin 54 has a sleeve 58 fixed thereon intransverse relationship thereto and which sleeve 58 is embraced by thebifurcated uppermost end of the element 50. A hinge pin 60 swingablymounts the element 50 on the sleeve 58.

A lateral projection `62. on each element l50 intermediate the endsthereof is employed to automatically swing the elements 50 inwardly intoengagement with the cases 10 in the manner illustrated by Fig. 2. Tothis end there is provided a pair of opposed, arcuate deectors 64 thatare swingably mounted on brackets y66 carried by arpair of the standards'32. Brackets 66 are provided with adjusting screws 68 attached todeilectors 64- for swinging the same about pivot pins 70 to thereby Varythe distance between the dellectors 64.

Support 13 consists of a pair of L-shaped arms 72 embracing the stretch30 of conveyor 12 and swingably carried by the framework 16. Theuppermost edges of the horizontal legs of arms 72 are normally disposedabove the uppermost plane of the conveyor stretch 30 in supportingrelationship to the stack 20 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and arms I2 arereleasably held in such position by a lock arrangement that includestoggle linkage 74 pivotally interconnecting the outermost ends of thearms '72 and mounting means 76 for the arms '72, which mounting means 76is in turn secured to the framework 16. The mounting means 76 in turncarries an upstanding bracket 78 that supports a solenoid `30 whosehorizontally reciprocable core engages the linkage 74 to shift thelatter from the position shown in Fig. l to the released positionillustrated by Fig. 4 when solenoid 80 is energized.

A spring 32 interconnecting linkage 74 and the bracket 78 yieldablybiases the linkage 74 toward the position shown in Fig. l. The extent ofmovement of the linkage 74 under inliuence of spring 82 may be varied byan adjustable stop screw 84 mounted on the bracket 73.

The extent of movement of the cases 1i) by the conveyor 12 toward theshaft 42 in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. l, is limited byone or more stops S5 adjustably mounted on L-shaped horizontal guides 88coextensive with the stretch 3G and in embracing relationship thereto asseen in Fig. 2.

Solenoid 30 is coupled in series with power supply lines 9i? (see Fig.5) and with a pair of normally open switches 92 and 94 forming a part ofthe control 2,2. Switch 92 is disposed within the path of travel ofcases 1f? being elevated by ascending flight 96 of elevator 14, andswitch 9d is disposed within the path of travel of cases 1i) beinglowered along descending flight 98 of elevator 14. The only time bothswitches 92 and 94- are held closed so as to energize solenoid t is whena predetermined number of cases 10 are in the stack Bti, as shown inFig. 5, and after another case 16a has risen to a predetermined positionalong the liight 96.

In the event stack 2i) and therefore, uppermost case 10b thereof, failsto move away from the switch 94 after switches @Z and 94 are bothclosed, the prime mover 2,6 for elevator 14 is automatically deenergizedby operation of the safety components 24 shown in Fig. 6. A normallyclosed switch lil@ within the path of travel of descending cases 1@along flight 98 is held open by the case 10b when the latter is disposedin the stack 2O on support 18. Another normally closed switch 102 isdisposed within the path of travel of the cases lil as the same passfrom flight and, therefore, both switches 190 and 102 are openedsimultaneously to deenergize motor 26 whenever a case 10c moves intoengagement with switch 1632 while switch lil@ is being held open by case10b.

ln operation, conveyor 12 operates continuously to feed cases 10 to theflight 96 of elevator 14 in continuous succession, the guides 88 tendingto prevent misalignment of the cases 10 on the stretch 30 as theyapproach a position for receiving hooks 52 within hand openings lh/ithereof. Cases 10 come to rest against the stops 86 and if desired, thechains 28 may be lubricated so that the same slide freely beneath thecases 10 while the same are held against advancement by stops S6.

Elevator 14 also operates continuously by virtue of energization ofprime mover 26 and as the elements Sil move upwardly along thedeflectors 64 with the projections 62 engaging the latter, the saiddeflectors 6d will swing the elements Sil inwardly toward each otherabout the pivot pin il to move the hooks 52 into the openings 104 of thecase 1i) next adjacent stops 86 as shown in Fig. 2. Elevator 14 willthereupon immediately lift such case lltl off the conveyor 12 and assoon as the ascending case 1t) clears the next succeeding case 1U onconveyor 12, such next succeeding case will be fed to a position betweenthe deliectors fi-l and therefore, between the chains 34 and 36 forreceiving the next pair of flight elements `5t).

By virtue of the swinging movement of the elements 50 with respect tothe chains 34 and 3e about the pin 54, the cases 1li will remain in anupright position throughout their paths of travel along the flight 96,over the uppermost sprockets 38 and thence downwardly along the flight98.

The first case 10d will come to rest upon the support 1S which serves tohold the case 10d out of engagement with the conveyor 12 as long assolenoid 80 remains deenergized. When further downward movement of case16a is prevented by support 13, elements 50 will automatically swingaway from each other to positions hanging vertically from the pivot pin60 by virtue of proper arrangement of the center of gravity thereof,thereby withdrawing the hooks 52 from Within the openings 1M.

ln this connection it should be noted that the hooks 52 are relativelyshallow so that the same will quickly swing out of the openings 104 whenrelieved of the weight of case 10d. Still further, the lowermost faces52a of hooks 52 are arcuate so that they will be deflected out of theopenings 104i in the event such faces 52a come into engagement with thecase 10d at the lowermost edges of the openings 194 at the time case 10dcornes to rest on support 1S.

lt is apparent that succeeding cases 10 will be stacked on the case 10dduring continuous operation of the elevator 14 and conveyor 12 until thestack 26* contains a predetermined number of the cases 1i).

Although the switches 92 and 94 are intermittently closed during suchoperation, switch 94 will not be held closed for any great length oftime until the case 10b cornes to rest on the stack 2i). The case 10cwill have passed the switch 92 before case 10b closes switch 94.However, as soon as case 10a moves into engagement with switch to closethe latter, solenoid S0 will be enrgized by virtue of both switches 92and M being closed. Solenoid remains energized throughout the time thatcase 113:1 holds the switch 92 closed, and such energization of solenoidSil breaks the toggle linkage 7d to permit stack 21? to descend upon theconveyor 12.

lt is seen in Fig, l that stop screw 84 is preferably adjusted so thattoggle linkage 74 is past center in one direction when solenoid 3) isdeenergized thereby assuring the normal holding of support 18 in aposition where it will in turn maintain the case lild of stack 20 out ofengagement with the stretch Btl of conveyor 12. When however, thesolenoid Si? is energized to project its reciprocable core, the togglelinkage 74 is shifted past center in the opposite direction, therebylowering the uppermost edge of the support 18 below the level of stretch3G.

As soon as the stack Ztl cornes to rest on the conveyor 12 it is removedfrom the elevator 14- and conveyed away from the flight 98, as well asthe switch 94, whereupon the latter automatically opens to deenergizesolenoid 80.

As soon as the stack 2G clears the support 18, the spring 82 acting ontoggle linkage 74, will automatically return the support 1S to itsstack-supporting position shown in Fig. l ready for receiving case 10cwhich will constitute the lowermost case of the next succeeding stack.

in the event however, that stack 2li fails to move away from switch 94as just above contemplated, prime mover 26 will be deenergized as soonas case 10c opens the switch 102. Switches and 162 are in parallel, buteach is in series with the prime mover 26 and, therefore, deenergizationof the latter occurs during simultaneous opening of switches will and1132 by cases 10b and 10c respectively. Here again, while switches lili)and 102 are intermittently opened during normal operation of theelevator 14, the only time the same are held open simultaneously is whencase 10c arrives at the position shown in Fig. 6 while the stack 20 isstill in a position where case 1ilb holds switch 94 closed and switch100 open.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An article stacker comprising an elevator having an ascending flightand a descending ight; conveyor means including a continuous stretchextending through said elevator for initially feeding articles to bestacked to said ascending flight in continuous succession and forsubsequently removing a stack of said articles from the elevator, saidelevator being provided with a plurality of flight elements engageablewith said articles as the elements ascend for raising the articles alongthe ascending flight and lowering the same along the descending Hight;movable meansv within the path of travel of the descending articles,said movabley means embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normallyin a position above the plane vthereof for supporting the descendingarticles above said conveyor means until a predetermined number ofarticles are deposited thereon to present said stack;

feeding articles to be stacked to said ascending Hight in continuoussuccession and for subsequently removing a stack of said articles fromthe elevator, said elevator being provided with a plurality of Hightelements engage- ,able with said articles as the elements ascend forraising ,the articles along the ascending flight and lowering the samealong the descending Hight; movable means within v the path of travel ofthe descending articles, said movable means embracing said stretch ofthe conveyor and normally in a position above the plane thereof forsupporting the descending articles above said conveyor means until apredetermined number of articles are deposited thereon in a stack, saidconveyor means being disposed to remove the stack from Within the pathof travel of the descending articles; and means for moving saidsupporting means after said predetermined number of articles have beendeposited thereon to lower the stack from the supporting means onto saidstretch of the conveyor means.

' 3. An article stacker comprising an elevator having an ascending Hightand a descending Hight; continuously operating conveyor means includinga continuous stretch ,extending through said elevator for initiallyfeeding articles t'o be stacked to said ascending Hight in continuoussuccession and for subsequently removing a stack vof said articles fromthe elevator, said elevator being provided with'a plurality of hook-likeHight elements engageable 'with said articles as the elements ascend forraising the articles along the ascending Hight, and lowering the samealong the descending Hight; movable means within the path of travel ofthe descending articles, said movable means embracing said stretch ofthe conveyor and normally in a position above the plane thereof forsupporting the descending articles above said conveyor means until apredetermined number of articles are deposited thereon inl a stack, saidconveyor means being disposed to remove the stack from within the pathof travel of the descending articles; releasable lock means normallyholding said supporting means against movement; and means for releasingsaid lock means after said predetermined number of articles have beendeposited on the supporting means to lower the stack from the supportingmeans onto said stretch of the conveyor means.

v 4. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with anopening, said 'stacker comprising an elevator having an ascending Hightand a descending Hight and including a pair of endless members spaced toreceive the cases therebetween, each member having a plurality of spacedhook-like Hight elements movable thereon and engageable with the casesin said openings; a horizontal conveyor including a continuous stretchextending through said elevator for initially feeding the cases to saidascending Hight between the members in continuous succession and forsubsequently removing a stack of said articles from the elevator; meansengageable with said elements for hooking the same into the openings ofthe cases as the latter are fed to the ascending Hight whereby the casesare raised from the conveyor as the elements ascend and are thereuponlowered as the elements descend; a vertically movable support Within thepath of travel of the descending cases, said support embracing saidstretch of the conveyor and normally in a position above the planethereof, said elements having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edgesof the cases forming said openingsas descent ofthe latter is preventedby the support for deHecting the elements out of the openings wherebythe cases are deposited on the support in a stack; and means forlowering the support to thereby lower the stack onto said stretch of theconveyor after a predetermined number of cases have been deposited inthe stack.

5. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with anopening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having anuppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyorintermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending Hight and adescending Hight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction tofeed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascendingHight and to move the cases away from the descending Hight after eacharrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack,said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive thecases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hooklike Hight elementsengageable in hooked relationship to the cases within said openings,each member having one element of each pair thereof swingably mountedthereon; means engageable with said elements for swinging the same intothe openings of the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending Hightwhereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as the elements ascendand are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a vertically movablesupport within the path of travel of the descending cases, said supportembracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally in a position abovethe plane thereof, said elements having arcuate surfaces engageable withthe edges of the cases forming said openings as descent of the latter isprevented by the support for deflecting the elements out of the openingswhereby the cases are deposited on the support in a stack; and means forlowering the support to thereby lower the stack onto said stretch of theconveyor after a predetermined member of cases have been deposited inthe stack.

6. A stacker as set forth in claim 5 wherein each o'f said hook-likeelements is provided with means pivotally mounting the same on themembers'whereby the hook portions of the elements always face upwardly.

7. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with anopening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyo'r haiving anuppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyorintermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending Hight and adescending Hight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction tofeed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascendingHight and to move the cases away from the descending Hight after eacharrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack,said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to' receive thecases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hook-like Hight elementsengageable in hooked relationship to the cases within said openings,each member having one element of each pair thereof swingably mountedthereon; means engageable with said elements for swinging the same intothe openings of the cases as the latter are fed to the ascending Hightwhereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as the elements ascendand are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a vertically movablesupport within the path of travel of the descending case, said elementsnormally hanging vertically from the members and having arcuate surfacesengageable with the edges of the cases forming said openings wherebythey are deHected out o'f the openings automatically as descent of thecases is prevented by the support, to thereby deposit the cases on thesupport in a stack; and means for lowering the support to thereby lowerthe stack onto the conveyor after a predetermined number of cases havebeen deposited inthe stack.

8. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with anopening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having anuppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyorintermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending iiight and adescending flight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction tofeed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascendingflight and to' move the cases away from the descending liight after eacharrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack,said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive thecases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hook-like iiight elementsengageable with the cases in said openings, each member having oneelement of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; means engageablewith said elements for swinging the same into the openings o'f the casesto hook the elements onto the cases as the latter are fed to theascending liight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyor as theelements ascend and are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; avertically movable support within the path of travel of the descendingcases, said elements normally hanging vertically from the members andhaving arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the cases formingsaid openings whereby they are deliected out of the openings auto'-matically as descent of the cases is prevented by the support, tothereby deposit the cases on the support in a stack; power means forlowering the support to thereby lower the stack onto the conveyor aftera predetermined number o'f cases have been deposited in the stack; andcontrol means for said power means including a first device disposed forengagement by the uppermost case of l the stack and a second devicedisposed for engagement by a case being raised along the ascendingflight while said uppermost case engages the first device.

9. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with anopening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having anuppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyorintermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending ight and adescending ight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction tofeed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascendingflight and to move the cases away from the descending iiight after eacharrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack,said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive thecases therebetween and a plurality o'f pairs of hook-like flightelements engageable with the cases in said openings, each member havingone element of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; meansengageable with said elements for swinging the same into the openings ofthe cases to hook the elements onto the cases as the latter are fed tothe ascending flight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyor asthe elements ascend and are thereupo'n lowered as the elements descend;a vertically swingi able support embracing said stretch of the conveyorand normally in a position extending above the plane thereof within thepath of travel of the descending cases; releasable means normallyholding the support in said position, said elements normally hangingvertically from the members and having arcuate surfaces engageable withthe edges of the cases forming said openings whereby they are deflectedout of the openings automatically as descent of the cases is preventedby the. support, to thereby deposit the cases on the support in a stack;and means for actuating said releasable means after a predeterminednumber of cases have been deposited in the stack whereby the supportswings downwardly to lower the stack o'nto the conveyor.

10. A stacker for cases having opposed ends each provided with anopening, said stacker comprising an endless conveyor having anuppermost, horizontal stretch; an elevator above the conveyorintermediate the ends of said stretch having an ascending flight and adescending flight, said stretch traveling continuously in a direction tofeed the cases singly and in uninterrupted succession to the ascendingliight and to move the cases away from the descending flight after eacharrangement of a predetermined number of the cases in a single stack,said elevator including a pair of endless members spaced to receive thecases therebetween and a plurality of pairs of hook-like flight elementsengageable with the cases in said openings, each member having oneelement of each pair thereof swingably mounted thereon; means engageablewith said elements for swinging the same into the openings of the casesto hook the elements onto the cases as the latter are fed to theascending flight whereby the cases are raised from the conveyo'r as theelements ascend ,s

and are thereupon lowered as the elements descend; a verticallyswingable support embracing said stretch of the conveyor and normally ina position extending above the plane thereof within the path of travelof the descending cases; releasable means normally holding the supportfin said position, said elements normally hanging vertically from themembers, being spaced a distance greater than the distance between saidends and having arcuate surfaces engageable with the edges of the casesforming said openings whereby they are deflected out of the openingsautomatically as descent of the cases is prevented by the support, tothereby deposit the cases on the support in a stack; electrical meansfor actuating said releasable means after a predetermined number ofcases have been deposited in the stack whereby the support swingsdownwardly to lower the stack onto the conveyor; and a control circuitcoupled with said electrical means and including a first normally openswitch disposed for engagement by the uppermost case of the stack toclose the rst switch, and a second normally open switch disposed forengagement by a case being raised along the ascending iiight while saiduppermost case engages the rst switch whereby to' close the secondswitch.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,193,264 Bashore Mar. 12, 1940 2,266,170 Currie Dec. 16, 1941 2,407,782Hardy Sept. 17, 1946 2,491,298 Carter Dec. 13, 1949 2,703,182 Broberg etal Mar. 1, 1955

